The Gospel writers, Matthews, Mark, Luke and John devoted many pages leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. Many scriptures were written so that we could have a history Jesus’ ministry.
Let us look for a moment at the events of Jesus’ last week on earth leading up to His crucifixion. After coming into the city on Sunday, He spent most of the week teaching in the temple area during the day. His evenings were spent in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus in Bethany.
On Monday Jesus cleansed the temple and chased out the moneychangers and those who was buying and selling in the temple as He explained to them “ My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it into a den of thieves”.
On Tuesday the Sanhedrin challenged His authority and Judas one of his own disciples was bargaining with the Jewish rulers ways to betray Him.
On Wednesday at Sunset began the Passover, and the people began to remember how God had saved and delivered them out of Egypt by allowing the death angel to “Passover” all their houses that was sprinkled with the blood of a lamb.
Now the scriptures tells us by Thursday as Jesus was eating the Passover meal with His disciples He instituted what we celebrate here at Old Field every 2nd Sunday, that Memorial Supper, which we call the Lord’s Supper or some may say the Holy Communion.
Now it was after this supper that Jesus and His disciples went into the Garden of Gethsemane and here Jesus prayed for them even though they could not stay a wake for one hour to pray with Him. Church I am so glad Jesus is not likes us. I am glad He never slumber nor sleep, that even while we are asleep He has His eyes on us, watching over us, keeping troubles away.
Then we come to that last day, Friday, we now call Good Friday. However it was on this day that Jesus was betrayed, arrested, lied on, mocked condemned and sentenced to death, but before He was crucified, Peter also denied him.
Jesus had predicted that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed. For Jesus had told His disciples that they would all fall away He said “It is written I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. “ but Peter declared “Even if all the other fall away, I will not.” Luke writes that Peter said “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death”, however Jesus told Him, I tell you Peter, the rooster will not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.
Funny church how the Lord knows us some much better than we know ourselves. For at the time Peter earnestly thought he was strong enough to endure the hardship that the Lord was facing. But the Lord knew he could not. Sometimes, we too think we are stronger than we are, for we say I have decided to follow Jesus no turning back. Or we say this little light of mine I am going to let it shine every where I go I am going to let it shine all alone the way I am going to let it shine, but then we meet Satan face to face, we do like Peter.
For they tell me on the night that Jesus was arrested Peter followed Jesus like he said he would, but at a distance. Church when Jesus was healing the sick, raising the dead and giving sight to the blind and walking on water and helping Peter to walk on water, Peter was right at this side, jumping into the sea talking about who needs a boat when you got Jesus- but now Jesus was under arrest, going to jail, being beat, in other words from Peter point of view it look like Jesus was down and out, and there fore Peter followed but at a distance. Church we all have had friends like that, we had money, position and status, we had friends on every corner, but we were unpopular our friends might have looked on but at a distance. Oh keep my mind clear this morning Holy Ghost
Now that Jesus was had become unpopular-Peter stays far enough away so as not to be identified with Him. My brothers and my sisters, if we do not want to be identified with Jesus then we will find ourselves mingling with those of the world and enjoying their comforts. For verse 55 says when hey had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Ashamed and afraid to be seen with Jesus Peter sought comfort at the fire with high priest’s servants. But you need to know this morning church you cannot be comforted by the fire of the world and not be burned. I stopped by to tell you this morning Old Field, close contact with that which can harm has its effects.
Proverbs 6:27 say Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? The 28 verses say can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? In others words by the time we become friends with the world it is only a matter of time before we harden our hearts toward God. If we mingle with the world we will stop coming to church we will not treat our families right, we will not act right on our jobs; if we mingle with the world we will cease to pray effective prayers, we will find ourselves vain repetive prayers. For Jesus said you cannot serve two masters, for you will love one and hate the other. In other words church if you find your self hanging out at bars and night clubs, going to the boat, that is warming by the fires of the world you will find yourself doing just what Peter did.
For a certain servant girl seeing Peter as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said this man was also with Him. Steward and trustees, deaconess, and ushers, do not think for a moment that just because you go out of town none will recognize you. For it something about walking and talking with Jesus no matter where you go someone is going to know you have been with the Man. Because once you have been in the presence of an Almighty God, you do not walk the same anymore, you dress difference and you talk different, you love different, you sing different, you give different, it just something about being with the Lord.
However Peter was scared and weak and he denied Jesus, for the scripture says he said “woman, I do not know Him, Mark writes that Peter said “ I neither know nor understand what you are saying and he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed. And they tell me the servant girl say him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them, but Peter denied it again, and a litter later Luke says it was about an hour later a man said surely, surely you are one them, for you are Galilean, and your speech shows it; and they tell me Peter began to curse and swear; and say I do not know this Man of whom you speak and Luke says immediately while he was still speaking the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter and Peter remember the word of the Lord how He had said to him “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times, then Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Church I stopped by this morning on my way to heaven to let you know this morning that rooster still crows.
For when the rooster crowed Peter remembered the words of the Lord. Church its time we remembered the words of the Lord this morning, for we too have one time of another all denied Jesus. When we are disobedience to the word of God we are denying Him, when we commits acts of sins we are denying Him. Church God word the Bible is to us what that rooster was to Peter. For when Peter heard that rooster crow he was convicted of his sin and he wepted bitterly. Church God Word the Bible tells us that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the wages of sin is death. But church it also tells us that if we confess with out mouth and believe with our hearts we shall be saved.
Church roosters still crows, it time we remember the words of the Lord how He said: Let not your hearts be troubled, you believed in God believe also in me.
Roosters still crows, it is time we remember the words of the Lord how He said: If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing to give up their lives daily to follow me.
Roosters still crows, and it time we remembered the words of the Lord how He said: Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, know and the door shall be open unto you, for you have not because you ask not.
Roosters still crows and it time we remembered the words of the Lords how He said: You shall have power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you. And even greater works shall you do.
Roosters still crows and it time we remembered the words of the Lords and He said: All power has been given to Me in heaven and on earth, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
